Purposeful Program Theory: Effective Use of Theories of Change and Logic Models (Research Methods for the Social Sciences) [Paperback]

I was very fortunate that this book was published just as I started my final dissertation for a MSc in Grant-making, Philanthropy and Social Investment. My research topic was Theories of Change approaches to strategic planning in the context of a philanthropic (grant-making) foundation. This book was one of, if not the, most useful texts I was able to access whilst completing my dissertation and research project.

The authors' use the term 'programme theory' to cover a range of approaches to strategic planning and evaluation that share similar features. First, the primary importance of specifying a programme's ultimate objective i.e. first and foremost be clear what it is that you are trying to change or achieve. Second, the process that follows of building a logic sequence of steps that will take you from where you are to your intended goal. Third, the importance of building in monitoring and evaluation systems from the outset that will enable you to track the progress of your programme, and ultimately allow you to tell if (when, how and why) you have reached your ultimate objective. As such the term programme theory in this book is used to cover a wide range of familiar approaches e.g. logic models, theory of change approach, etc.

The written style of the book is very readable and clear, even when dealing with quite technical issues. A wide range of subjects are included in the book, including: outcomes chains, pipe-line logic models, evidence-based practice, complexity, situational analyses, etc. There were two particular insights that I found particularly useful, not only in terms of study, but also in influencing my professional practice. First, the importance of challenging presumptions around causality i.e. taking a belief that a certain action (e.g. parenting courses) will lead to certain outcomes (e.g. more happy children) and "holding it up to the light." This includes asking questions of evidence, whether there are multiple pre-conditions required for change, and the importance of programme and non-programme factors i.e. the factors that could influence your success that you can control and those that you cannot control. The philosophical underpinnings are sound with a clear and important explanation of the difference in logical programme terms between 'necessary' and 'sufficient'. Second, the importance of defining the specific attributes of your programme's intended outcomes, which importantly needs to include consideration of comparisons i.e. what are the baselines and trends relevant to your programme's outcomes. This is essential if you are to monitor and evaluate your programme's progress and impact.

My only reservation relates to the flip-side of the level of detail contained in the book. Increasingly, charities and foundations of all sizes are being encouraged to look adopt more formal approaches to planning and evaluation with the Theories of Change approach being the latest 'flavour of the month'. However, the majority of organisations within the sector are small and micro sized (i.e. incomes of less than £100k) and employ few, if any staff, and are therefore dependent on volunteers. Whilst this book is potentially very useful to all those organisations in that it starts from the beginning of defining exactly what you are trying to achieve and then how to build your plan from there, the level of detail contained therein is dizzying. Even as a full-time professional I struggled to follow the full detail of the text. In terms of practical use the book may well be too much for smaller organisations, and as such only be used by larger foundations and academics. This would be a pity as there is much in this book that could be very useful to the sector, and would perhaps merit an abridged practitioner's version.

As I write this review, I'm sitting in Dhaka's International Airport after a successful visit to our programme partners here in Bangladesh to help them develop a theory of change. Although I had seen several before for other programmes, this was my first time going through the process with a wide team.

I have been scouring the internet in preparation for this workshop and have found many resources on developing theories of change, but none as comprehensive as this. Not only does the book walk through the theory behind the approach, but it also gives VERY practical steps to guide the process of developing an appropriate logic model for a programme. The archetype theories they present and the many examples along the way are also extremely helpful. The textbook style makes it easy to dip in and out as each chapter is self-contained and the book is clearly organised, which makes finding what you need when you need it easy as pie.

An absolute must read for anybody looking to fulfil new DFID requirements on developing theories of change.

Part encyclopaedia, part guide - Purposeful Program Theory is an invaluable resource for anyone responsible for design, management or evaluation of public policy and larger scale social programmes and initiatives. It sets out comprehensively the myriad ways in which program theory can be developed and applied to programs as part of evaluation to improve the quality of policies, programmes, services and strategies and their evaluation and the considerations and options at every step. Review submitted by Matt Baumann on behalf of the Social Research Association